Fire Department

Engine Company 1 responded twice to a State Street restaurant for carbon monoxide alarm activations that were ultimately traced to a leak in a kitchen appliance.

The first alarm activation came in at 12:41 a.m. Saturday, August 25. Firefighters forced entry to Noodles & Co. (232 State Street) through a window, finding CO levels at 200 parts per million near the kitchen. The crew took measures to shut off gas lines and appliances to put a stop to the CO leak, and they began ventilating the restaurant to clear the air. While CO levels went down, they did not fully disappear. MGE remained on scene to try to determine the origins of the CO leak.

A day later, at 8:36 a.m. Sunday, August 26, Engine Company 1 was called back to the restaurant for another CO alarm activation. Air monitors showed levels ranging from 50 ppm in the kitchen to 150 ppm in the basement. After searching the entire restaurant, firefighters discovered a carbon monoxide and natural gas leak coming from a kitchen appliance. MGE tagged and turned off the unit, and firefighters ventilated the restaurant until the CO dissipated.

The restaurant was closed and unoccupied at the time of both MFD responses. There were no illnesses or injuries relating to the carbon monoxide incidents.